List of Chinese provinces and regions Attractions & Activities - The Best Holiday Destinations for 2020
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This article is a travel topic.
China's system of political geography differs somewhat from that in other countries. Most of it is broken up into provinces (省), but there are several other geographic units of the same hierarchical rank as provinces:
- Various ethnic groups have autonomous regions (自治区), although their autonomy is far from complete. For the traveler, these can generally be thought of as provinces, but in political discussions the distinction may be important.
- Four of the larger municipalities (市) are not part of provinces, but independent entities whose leaders report directly to Beijing. The smallest of these, Tianjin, has a population well over 10 million. The largest, Chongqing, has over 30 million residents.
- Hong Kong and Macau are special administrative regions (SARs, 特别行政区). These are former colonies ? Hong Kong British and Macau Portuguese ? that rejoined China in the late 90s. Their economies and distinct political systems are allowed to flourish under separate regulatory regimes from the Mainland under the slogan "One country, two systems". The SARs have their own currencies, issue their own visas, and elect their own representative assemblies through a combination of direct and indirect representation.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about List of Chinese provinces and regions